What's In A Name?
by Whisker Biscuit
Summary: You are not Hero or Villain. These are not the things you need to be to protect her. Nor are they the things that you really care about. You are not these things, but that's okay, because you are something much better. You are Friend.


_You are Protector._

. . . . .

Melinda hasn't said a word since you carried her screaming from that barn. She's crying; you can feel tears soaking into your felt skin, but no sounds come out of her mouth.

This is disturbing, and you want to talk to her, want to be able to talk to her, but she's still cradled in your arms while you walk into the unknown and your Purpose compels you to keep moving because it's not safe.

At some point in the night she finally stops her silent sobbing and makes you put her down so she can walk in front of you, head dropped forlornly. You are fine with this. You just need to make sure you're both still moving forward.

She doesn't look back at you once. You are…not quite as fine with this.

Then the rain hits two hours after that, so the two of you rush into that cave without further thought. It's a mistake you will kick yourself over for a long time afterwards, because there was danger in that cave, and you didn't scope it out first, and you let Melinda run off by herself because she was upset but doesn't she know you're just trying to help, you care for her, your Purpose is Protector but your first name was Friend and then –

It turns out all right in the end, because Melinda is safe and unharmed. She even learned how to use her magic, which is wonderful! So you give her a thumbs up, because that's all you can do while you're tied upside down like this, but she surprises you with a hug.

And this might just be cause she is so scared and needs the reassurance, but there's a warm, hazy feeling in your stone that says differently. Melinda doesn't say anything this time either, but she doesn't really have to.

You both stay like that for a while, and when you finally get cut down from the spiderweb, she accepts the blanket in front of the campfire so long as you join her under it.

_Your Purpose is Protector. But now you are Friend._

. . . . .

The village is a wake up call for the two of you. Melinda learns that it's not just the bad king who hates magic users. You learn that monsters aren't the only thing you will have to protect her from. People are wicked in many more ways, with cruel intentions and even crueler tongues, and it is the first time you have conflicted feelings about wanting to speak.

You don't want to be capable of that kind of heartlessness.

But the want comes back full force that evening, when Melinda is thinking about her Papa and asking you questions you need to answer, _have _to answer, but all you can do is hug her close and tuck her into bed. You hear her angry, whispered words as she lies there, but you can't bring yourself to confront it.

She has every right to feel those things, even if she can't act on them. Won't act on them, because you are there to make sure she doesn't. She needs to stay safe.

_You are Friend, and Protector, but you hate that you're too powerless to be who she needs._

. . . . .

It has been three years now on the road, and the signs of decay are becoming more obvious than ever. Trees are sparse or dead. Grass stays yellow and crunchy year-round. Flowers are almost extinct now.

Melinda is growing now, in ways neither of you are prepared for. You don't know what to do when she starts having horrible leg pains that leave her crumpled on the ground. She doesn't know why her chest is getting so sensitive, or why one moment she feels completely fine and then completely irritable in the next.

She thinks it might be magic related, because she's been practicing a lot, and this last year there's been remarkable improvement. You agree with her right up until she has cramps that keep her up almost an entire night, and the next morning there is blood on her cot.

You both share a panic attack.

The nearest town is roughly an hour away when walking, but you book it there in less than half that time, with Melinda cradled bridal-style in your arms. It's getting harder to carry her anymore, but the adrenaline and stress pushes you so that it's barely enough.

You wobble into the doctor's clinic exhausted, your legs shaking as Melinda cries for someone to help. A middle-aged woman comes to your aid and pulls her from your arms, leaving you alone in that front room trying not to hyperventilate.

Less than twenty minutes later, the same woman comes out and looks you over, and you're suddenly very happy that you've started wearing more local fashion recently instead of armor, because you see the wanted poster of the Witch and the Knight pinned to the wall on your left. You shift nervously from side to side and wait for condemnation.

She opens her mouth, maybe to expose you, maybe to take Melinda away –

"Your sister's going to be just fine, Dear."

What?

You must look as confused as you feel, because the woman walks up to you and puts her hand on your arm. It's probably meant to be comforting, but your body prickles because she's not Melinda.

"Don't worry, Sweetie. Your sister is just fine. She's going through changes that are very normal for her age."

Your brain is kind of stalling on that One Word but you catch the part about your friend being okay and can't help sagging just a little bit in relief. The woman catches you easily since you aren't very tall nor very heavy.

"Oh dear, it's okay! I have to say I'm impressed that you carried her all the way here, even though you really didn't need to. She said you both live out of town, do your parents know what happened?"

You shake your head no in a little jingle, already regaining your footing and done with the conversation. You point at the door where you saw Melinda being taken.

"Not much of a talker, are you? Well that's just fine. I can take you back to see her, Dearie, come this way." She takes your hand and heads through the door. "We'll have to let your parents know as soon as possible, maybe get your mother here so I can talk to her properly. I'm surprised she hasn't told either of you about this. Honestly, what's the world coming to if we can't even educate our children properly?"

Another door into a smaller room and – there she is! Your stone does a flip-flop as you see Melinda sitting up in a bed with her arms around her stomach. You count limbs and fingers – all accounted for – and puff out a sigh of relief.

She looks like she's about to say something about your obvious concern, based on the exasperated fondness across her eyes, but then the woman you forgot about touches your arm again and makes her way to Melinda's side.

"I brought your brother, Sweetie. I hope you don't mind but he was so helpful, carrying you here, that I didn't want to exclude him."

Melinda's mouth forms a little 'O' as she stares at the woman, at you, then back at the woman. Her arms fall to her sides and she tucks her chin closer to her chest.

"Um…th-thank you. It's no trouble at all."

"Good!" The mystery woman beams. "I'd love to tell you more about puberty and all those icky things, but it might be better to have your mother present. Where'd exactly did you say you lived?"

You see Melinda tense up, and you're already bringing your hands closer in preparation for a clap, but she smiles at you in a way that says she can talk her way through this.

Which, okay. Is more than you can do. But you don't drop your arms.

"Actually Ma'am, um…our parents aren't home right now. They, uh, they aren't home a lot." Melinda sniffs and pulls out her best kicked-puppy look. You'd roll your eyes if it wouldn't blow your cover. "You see, they work in…um. The king! The king's castle. They're servants, so we don't see them very much."

The woman looks half sympathetic and half disbelieving. You feel sweat on your brow.

"So, uh, that's why we don't know what happened. But my…my P-Papa, he told us if something ever happened, then he," she gestures to you, "he needs to take me. To, uh, someone who can help."

Some of Melinda's anguish leaks into her words here, and it's enough to convince the woman of this story. She shakes her head and offers an apology that children must live in such trying times. Then she goes on to explain exactly what has happened to Melinda, and what to expect in the future, and how she'll be ready for marriage in just a few more years.

You, uh, don't do a very good job of staying neutral at this part. But the woman just laughs and says, "Oh, yes, definitely the older brother."

When the two of you leave that town armed with knowledge and some essentials, you so much more preoccupied with a dumb idea like getting married at age fourteen that you are caught off guard by Melinda's hug.

She's been getting taller lately too, and even though she hasn't reached your height yet, it's enough to make you stumble. You catch yourself and return the hug in automatic, looking down into her solemn face.

"I've decided," she says, voice wavering a little, "that what that woman said was true."

Your eyes widen but Melinda continues before you can react.

"We've been laying low and going around, and sometimes people think we're related or something, but…it's true now. You and me, we're all we have. I know you still think you're the protector, which is dumb, but you've been my friend too and I…it's nice but you're…so much more than that. So I've decided that you're really my b-brother."

She stumbles on the word but that's okay, because she's started crying and it's making you cry because you're both so happy so you pick her up and spin her around while you still can because she's getting so big now, and she's crying-laughing now so you keep going, faster and faster until your body gives out and you fall hard on your butt, thoroughly dizzy.

Melinda stays laughing and sobbing in your arms, and you wish her Papa was here to see how happy and strong she is. You wish, you wish…you wish Papa was here to see how happy you both are.

_That day, you are no longer Friend._

_You are Brother._

. . . . .

It's been harder to keep Melinda safe.

Part of this is because you've found an amazing hideaway in a giant briar garden, away from people, but there are still monsters and scary things that can still hurt her in here. The two of you have been building a proper house in the middle of the plant maze but it's slow going and you can't help being paranoid.

Another part of this is because she has mastered a lot more magic now and is determined to find other magic users again. She's always tried to do this, of course, but ever since she hit her twenties it's been one excuse or another to go out into towns and cities.

At least she's not looking for a suitor. You don't think you could handle that.

She's extremely stubborn, but you're also extremely stubborn, and you've known each other long enough that it's hard to catch the other unaware. Sometimes you find her trying to sneak out in the earliest moments of dawn and go into a tantrum (it's not a tantrum, Melinda!) until she's back in the clearing. Other times she sees you setting up Rock Watchmen around the more obvious entrances and plants snares to catch them, usually accompanied with a note scrawled in the dirt about how "nosy brothers need to give me my privacy".

Eventually you both realize this isn't healthy for either of you, so you reluctantly compromise to let her go get supplies and other things more often, so long as she comes back by a certain time. It doesn't stop you from sending Rocks after her anyway.

She's also been more concerned with you than with her, which has always been present, and has saved you both more than once, but it's almost as if _she's_ the Protector and you're not. Which is ridiculous.

You don't need help. Your entire purpose was to take care of Melinda, not the other way around. Yes, you appreciate the help. No, you don't want her to put your wellbeing over her own.

In fact, today she's running late again! She said she'd go to Bliss Hill for water and things, but it's already close to sunset and you can't see any sign of her.

You straighten your hat purposely and stomp out, watch clenched in your gloved hand. You have some choice gestures for Melinda when you find her. Who cares who sees you. Who cares what happens to you.

She's the most important person in your life, and you love her with all your stone and body.

Nothing will ever change that.

* * *

**A/N: I almost cried writing this. One because it's a bittersweet ending and I hate doing those. Two because I had to watch episode 10 several times looking for details and that was emotional torture, please don't do that.**

**Not much to say here. I'm fascinated by Nomad's and Melinda's relationship, and wanted to get a feel for writing for Melinda even if it was through our Friend's eyes. Let me know what you think, and thanks for reading!**


End file.
